sertorius-第5章

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meantime；　as　soon　as　Sertorius　had　left　his　right　wing；　to　assist
the　other　part　of　his　army；　overthrew　all　that　opposed　him；　and
pursuing　them　to　their　camp；　fell　in　together　with　them；　and　plundered
them　till　it　was　dark　night；　knowing　nothing　of　Pompey's　overthrow；
nor　being　able　to　restrain　his　soldiers　from　pillaging；　when
Sertorius；　returning　with　victory；　fell　upon　him　and　upon　his　men；　who
were　all　in　disorder；　and　slew　many　of　them。　And　the　next　morning　he
came　into　the　field　again　well　armed；　and　offered　battle；　but
perceiving　that　Metellus　was　near；　he　drew　off；　and　returned　to　his
camp；　saying；　〃If　this　old　woman　had　not　come　up；　I　would　have　whipped
that　boy　soundly；　and　sent　him　to　Rome。〃
　　He　was　much　concerned　that　his　white　hind　could　nowhere　be　found；　as
he　was　thus　destitute　of　an　admirable　contrivance　to　encourage　the
barbarous　people　at　a　time　when　he　most　stood　in　need　of　it。　Some　men；
however；　wandering　in　the　night；　chanced　to　meet　her；　and　knowing
her　by　her　colour；　took　her；　to　whom　Sertorius　promised　a　good　reward；
if　they　would　tell　no　one　of　it；　and　immediately　shut　her　up。　A　few
days　after；　he　appeared　in　public　with　a　very　cheerful　look；　and
declared　to　the　chief　men　of　the　country　that　the　gods　had　foretold
him　in　a　dream　that　some　great　good　fortune　should　shortly　attend　him；
and；　taking　his　seat；　proceeded　to　answer　the　petitions　of　those　who
applied　themselves　to　him。　The　keepers　of　the　hind；　who　were　not　far
off；　now　let　her　loose；　and　she　no　sooner　espied　Sertorius；　but　she
came　leaping　with　great　joy　to　his　feet；　laid　her　head　upon　his　knees；
and　licked　his　hands；　as　she　formerly　used　to　do。　And　Sertorius
stroking　her；　and　making　much　of　her　again；　with　that　tenderness
that　the　tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　all　that　were　present　were
immediately　filled　with　wonder　and　astonishment；　and　accompanying
him　to　his　house　with　loud　shouts　for　joy；　looked　upon　him　as　a　person
above　the　rank　of　mortal　men；　and　highly　beloved　by　the　gods；　and　were
great　courage　and　hope　for　the　future。
　　When　he　had　reduced　his　enemies　to　the　last　extremity　for　want　of
provision；　he　was　forced　to　give　them　battle；　in　the　plains　near
Saguntum；　to　hinder　them　from　foraging　and　plundering　the　country。
Both　parties　fought　gloriously。　Memmius；　the　best　commander　in
Pompey's　army；　was　slain　in　the　heat　of　the　battle。　Sertorius
overthrew　all　before　him；　and　with　great　slaughter　of　his　enemies
pressed　forward　towards　Metellus。　This　old　commander；　making　a
resistance　beyond　what　could　be　expected　from　one　of　his　years；　was
wounded　with　a　lance　an　occurrence　which　filled　all　who　either　saw
it　or　heard　of　it　with　shame；　to　be　thought　to　have　left　their　general
in　distress；　but　at　the　same　time　to　provoke　them　to　revenge　and
fury　against　their　enemies；　they　covered　Metellus　with　their
shields；　and　brought　him　off　in　safety；　and　then　valiantly　repulsed
the　Spaniards；　and　so　victory　changed　sides；　and　Sertorius；　that　he
might　afford　a　more　secure　retreat　to　his　army；　and　that　fresh
forces　might　more　easily　be　raised；　retired　into　a　strong　city　in
the　mountains。　And　though　it　was　the　least　of　his　intention　to　sustain
a　long　siege；　yet　he　began　to　repair　the　walls；　and　to　fortify　the
gates；　thus　deluding　his　enemies；　who　came　and　sat　down　before　the
town；　hoping　to　take　it　without　much　resistance；　and　meantime　gave
over　the　pursuit　of　the　Spaniards；　and　allowed　opportunity　for　raising
new　forces　for　Sertorius；　to　which　purpose　he　had　sent　commanders　to
all　their　cities；　with　orders；　when　they　had　sufficiently　increased
their　numbers；　to　send　him　word　of　it。　This　news　he　no　sooner
received；　but　he　sallied　out　and　forced　his　way　through　his　enemies；
and　easily　joined　them　with　the　rest　of　his　army。　Having　received　this
considerable　reinforcement；　he　set　upon　the　Romans　again；　and　by
rapidly　assaulting　them；　by　alarming　them　on　all　sides；　by
ensnaring；　circumventing；　and　laying　ambushes　for　them；　he　cut　off　all
provisions　by　land；　while　with　his　piratical　vessels　he　kept　all　the
coast　in　awe；　and　hindered　their　supplies　by　sea。　He　thus　forced　the
Roman　generals　to　dislodge　and　to　separate　from　one　another：
Metellus　departed　into　Gaul；　and　Pompey　wintered　among　the
Vaccaeans；　in　a　wretched　condition；　where；　being　in　extreme　want　of
money；　he　wrote　a　letter　to　the　senate；　to　let　them　know　that　if
they　did　not　speedily　support　him；　he　must　draw　off　his　army；　for　he
had　already　spent　his　own　money　in　the　defence　of　Italy。　To　these
extremities；　the　chiefest　and　the　most　powerful　commanders　of　the
age　were　reduced　by　the　skill　of　Sertorius；　and　it　was　the　common
opinion　in　Rome　that　he　would　be　in　Italy　before　Pompey。
　　How　far　Metellus　was　terrified　and　at　what　rate　he　esteemed　him；
he　plainly　declared；　when　he　offered　by　proclamation　an　hundred
talents　and　twenty　thousand　acres　of　land　to　any　Roman　that　should
kill　him；　and　leave；　if　he　were　banished；　to　return；　attempting
villainously　to　buy　his　life　by　treachery；　when　he　despaired　of　ever
being　able　to　overcome　him　in　open　war。　When　once　he　gained　the
advantage　in　a　battle　against　Sertorius；　he　was　so　pleased　and
transported　with　his　good　fortune；　that　he　caused　himself　to　be
publicly　proclaimed　imperator；　and　all　the　cities　which　he　visited
received　him　with　altars　and　sacrifices；　he　allowed　himself；　it　is
said；　to　have　garlands　placed　on　his　head；　and　accepted　sumptuous
entertainments；　at　which　he　sat　drinking　in　triumphal　robes；　while
images　and　figures　of　victory　were　introduced　by　the　motion　of
machines；　bringing　in　with　them　crowns　and　trophies　of　gold　to　present
to　him；　and　companies　of　young　men　and　women　danced　before　him；　and
sang　to　him　songs　of　joy　and　triumph。　By　all　which　he　rendered　himself
deservedly　ridiculous；　for　being　so　excessively　delighted　and　puffed
up　with　the　thoughts　of　having　followed　one　who　was　retiring　of　his
own　accord；　and　for　having　once　had　the　better　of　him　whom　he　used
to　call　Sylla's　runaway　slave；　and　his　forces；　the　remnant　of　the
defeated　troops　of　Carbo。
　　Sertorius；　meantime；　showed　the　loftiness　of　his　temper　in　calling
together　all　the　Roman　senators　who　had　fled　from　Rome；　and　had　come
and　resided　with　him；　and　giving　them　the　name　of　a　senate；　and　out　of
these　he　chose　praetors　and　quaestors；　and　adorned　his　government　with
all　the　Roman　laws　and　institutions。　And　though　he　made　use　of　the
arms；　riches；　and　cities　of　the　Spaniards；　yet　he　would　never；　even　in
word；　remit　to　them　the　imperial　authority；　but　set　Roman　officers　and
commanders　over　them；　intimating　his　purpose　to　restore　liberty　to　the
Romans；　not　to　raise　up　the　Spaniard's　power　against　them。　For　he
was　a　sincere　lover　of　his　country；　and　had　a　great　desire　to　return
home；　but　in　his　adverse　fortune　he　showed　undaunted　courage；　and
behaved　himself　towards　his　enemies　in　a　manner　free　from　all
dejection　and　mean…spiritedness；　and　when　he　was　in　his　prosperity；
and　in　the　height　of　his　victories；　he　sent　word　to　Metellus　and
Pompey　that　he　was　ready　to　lay　down　his　arms　and　live　a　private
life　if　he　were　allowed　to　return　home；　declaring　that　he　had　rather
live　as　the　meanest　citizen　in　Rome　than；　exiled　from　it；　be　supreme
commander　of　all　other　cities　together。　And　it　is　thought　that　his
great　desire　for　his　country　was　in　no　small　measure　promoted　by　the
tenderness　he　had　for　his　mother；　under　whom　he　was　brought　up　after
the　death　of　his　father；　and　upon　whom　he　had　placed　his　entire
affection。　After　that　his　friends　had　sent　for　him　into　Spain　to　be
their　general；　as　soon　as　he　heard　of　his　mother's　death　he　had　almost
cast　away　himself　and　died　for　grief；　for　he　lay　seven　days　together
continually　in　his　tent；　without　giving　the　word；　or　being　seen　by　the
nearest　of　his　friends；　and　when　the　chief　commanders　of　the　army
and　persons　of　the　greatest　note　came　about　his　tent；　with　great
difficulty　they　prevailed　with　him　at　last　to　come　abroad；　and　speak
to　his　soldiers；　and　to　take　upon　him　the　management　of　affairs；　which
were　in　a　prosperous　condition。　And　thus；　to　many　men's　judgment；　he
seemed　to　have　been　in　himself　of　a　mild　and　compassionate　temper；　and
naturally　given　to　ease　and　quietness；　and　to　have　accepted　of　the
command　of　military　forces　contrary　to　his　own　inclination；　and　not
being　able　to　live　in　safety　otherwise；　to　have　been　driven　by　his
enemies　to　have　recourse　to　arms；　and　to　espouse　the　wars　as　a
necessary　guard　for　the　defence　of　his　person。
　　His　negotiations　with　King　Mithridates　further　argue　the　greatness
of　his　mind。　For　when　Mithridates　recovering　himself　from　his
overthrow　by　Sylla；　like　a　strong　wrestler　that　gets　up　to　try　another
fall；　was　again　endeavouring　to　re…establish　his　power　in　Asia；　at
this　time　the　great　fame　of　Sertorius　was　celebrated　in　all　places；
and　when　the　merchants　who　came　out　of　the　western　parts　of　Europe；
bringing　these；　as　it　were；　among　their　other　foreign　wares；　had
filled　the　kingdom　of　Pontus　with　their　stories　of　his　exploits　in
war；　Mithridates　was　extremely　desirous　to　send　an　embassy　to　him；
being　also　highly　encouraged　to　it　by　the　boastings　of　his
flattering　courtiers；　who；　comparing　Mithridates　to　Pyrrhus；　and
Sertorius　to　Hannibal；　professed　that　the　Romans　would　never　be　able
to　make　any　considerable　resistance　against　such　great　forces；　and
such　admirable　commanders；　when　they　should　be　set　upon　on　both
sides　at　once；　on　one　by　the　most　warlike　general；　and　on　the　other　by
the　most　powerful　prince　in　existence。
　　Accordingly；　Mithridates　sends　ambassadors　into　Spain　to　Sertorius
with　letters　and　instructions；　and　commission　to　promise　ships　and
money　toward　the　charge　of　the　war；　if　Sertorius　would　confirm　his
pretensions　upon　Asia；　and　authorize　to　possess　all　that　he　had
surrendered　to　the　Romans　in　his　treaty　with　Sylla。　Sertorius　summoned
a　full　council　which　he　called　a　senate；　where；　when　others　joyfully
approved　of　the　conditions；　and　were　desirous　immediately　to　accept　of
his　offer；　seeing　that　he　desired　nothing　of　them　but　a　name；　and　an
empty　title　to　places　not　in　their　power　to　dispose　of；　in
recompense　of　which　they　should　be　supplied　with　what　they　then
stood　most　in　need　of；　Sertorius　would　by　no　means　agree　to　it；
declaring　that　he　was　willing　that　King　Mithridates　should　exercise
all　royal　power　and　authority　over　Bithynia　and　Cappadocia；
countries　accustomed　to　a　monarchical　government；　and　not　belonging　to
Rome；　but　he　could　never　consent　that　he　should　seize　or　detain　a
province；　which；　by　the　justest　right　and　title；　was　possessed　by
the　Romans；　which　Mithridates　had　formerly　taken　away　from　them；　and
had　afterwards　lost　in　open　war　to　Fimbria；　and　quitted　upon　a
treaty　of　peace　with　Sylla。　For　he　looked　upon　it　as　his　duty　to
enlarge　the　Roman　possessions　by　his　conquering　arms；　and　not　to
increase　his　own　power　by　the　diminution　of　the　Roman　territories。
Since　a　noble…minded　man；　though　he　willingly　accepts　of　victory
when　it　comes　with　honour；　will　never　so　much　as　endeavour　to　save　his
own　life　upon　any　dishonourable　terms。
　　When　this　was　related　to　Mithridates；　he　was　struck　with
amazement；　and　said　to　his　intimate　friends；　〃What　wil